Misinformation (false information shared without prior intent to publish and without harming others), and disinformation (false information shared with prior intent to publish and aimed at harming others).

When selecting a topic related to fact-checking, we adhere to the following criteria:

1. The content must include misleading information such as: fabricated images, manipulated videos, images taken out of context, videos taken out of context, or content containing false news.
2. The content, or at least one of its elements, must be verifiable.
3. The fact-check should be relevant to the Egyptian or broader Arab audience.
4. The content should be recent or still have an ongoing impact.
5. The content should concern a large segment of the public and/or be widely circulated and influential.
6. The fact-checking process should serve the public interest and not favor one party over another.
7. The claim has not already been denied by the targeted party, or a large segment of the audience still believes it and it continues to have an impact.

Fact-Checking Methodology:

1. Verifying the Claim

• What is the claim?
• What is its classification?

Claim classifications:

1. False: The claim is entirely incorrect.
2. Partly False: The claim contains both correct and incorrect elements.
3. Fabricated: The event or claim never happened (e.g., falsely attributed quotes to a public figure).
4. Misleading (Out of Context): The information is originally correct but has been manipulated, such as being taken out of context or presented with a misleading headline.
5. Satirical: The publisher intentionally altered facts for humor, but some audiences interpreted it as real news. This may come from known satire sources or not.
6. True: The claim is verified as accurate.

How do we identify misinformation?

• Refer back to official sources
• Use image and video verification tools
• Rely on expert and specialist opinions
• Use open-source information and relevant local, regional, and international databases

2. Content Reach and Impact

• The extent of content spread (engagement numbers, number of pages sharing it)
• Its impact on the audience (positive or negative reactions)

3. Coordinated Campaigns Behind the Content

• Who initiated the misleading content? (profile of the individual or entity)
• Is it part of a larger campaign? Is there a hashtag associated with it?
• Is there interaction from automated (bot) accounts?
• Is the activity around hashtags sudden or unusual?
• What type of engagement exists? (manufactured content, repeated/copied content, replies, resharing)